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Department of Veterans Affairs could let vets see private doctors

The Department of Veterans Affairs is considering new rules that would give vets more freedom to see private doctors outside the federal system, potentially shifting billions of dollars of federal funding out of the VA’s own hospital network.

The guidelines are meant to eliminate long waiting times that have plagued many VA hospitals, but the plan could starve VA hospitals of funds if patients choose other options, critics say, and potentially force some facilities to close.

President Trump may detail the plan in his State of the Union address Jan. 29, the New York Times reported.